Yellow Crowned Amazon General Info

If you’re looking for a smart and fun pet bird, the Yellow Crowned Amazon is a great candidate. Like the rest of their Amazon cousins, they are energetic, social and highly intelligent, often capable of talking with plenty of skill. And it goes without saying – they are one of the world’s most popular pet parrots. Let’s see what are the details that make them so loved.

All Amazon parrots are very intelligent and have a natural ability for talking with remarkable skill.

Native Region/Natural Habitat

These interesting parrots are one of the iconic birds of the Amazon river basin. The main populations are mostly centered around the Guianas region and they prefer to live in humid tropical forests, dry woodlands, and even farmer’s crops and urban areas. Their breed is highly similar to some other Amazon breeds, so the story of their naming, discovery and separate breed status was highly complicated. Since then, the taxonomy of these parrots has been called the “taxonomists headache”.

Overall Description

Most, if not all traits are almost identical to those of other Amazon breeds. They kept the iconic details such as a robust body, short, square tail, and powerful black beaks. The distinct ruffled plumage of the Amazons is also easy to spot. Males and females are identical, and both reach an average length of 14 to 15 inches (35 to 38 centimeters) on average. And with a substantial weight of around a pound (450 grams), you can be sure that these robust birds will need quite a lot of free space and exercise.

Speech and Sounds

These birds are very smart and this means that they can become very good talkers. Because of this ability, social and vocal behaviors are recommended for owners- to help them socialize. The Yellow Crowned Amazon can develop a hefty vocabulary and repeat complex sentences in a clear and loud voice. However, they can also be a bit noisy at certain times of the day, or when they become neglected and bored. Their natural calls are crisp, loud and often piercing. Because of this, they might not be the best choice for apartment dwellers.

Colors

Most of the Amazon parrots are pretty similar, sharing the same color bases with their own unique distinguishing details. Same goes for the Yellow Crowned Amazon who gets their name from the prominent bright yellow patch on the forehead. The rest of the body is tropical green, with just a few small orange details on the shoulders and wing tips. But this simplicity in colors doesn’t result in a dull and uninspiring bird – on the contrary, these parrots are elegant and have all the refreshing colors.

Their plumage is pretty standard for an Amazon parrot. It is simple, yet elegant and subtle.

Care and Feeding

A pet Amazon parrot will need a stable and balanced diet to thrive. To begin, you can get a seed or pellet based mix for Amazons and similar large parrots. This contains all the needed odds and ends that make up their diet in the wild. Additionally, you will have to regularly offer fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked rice, and chicken, to ensure they get all the nutrients they need. These foods act both as a treat and a source of vitamins that are not found in seed mixes.

Health and Common Conditions

Amazon parrots are famous for their adaptability and hardiness, and Yellow Crowned Amazon is no different. Provided you take good care of the environment they are in, they should do well and thrive easily. You should also remember that large pet parrots like the Yellow Crowned Amazon can be a lifelong commitment and a companion for generations, thanks to their incredible lifespan that can reach a 100 years. Therefore, you should have a plan for their lifetime care, as there’s a high chance your feathery friend will outlive you.

With an incredible lifespan that can reach a 100 years, these Amazons will be a lifelong companion.

Personality & Behavior

Their long lifespans shouldn’t worry you, though – you won’t have to spend the rest of your life with an annoying, grumpy or unbearable companion. You have your spouse for that. All jokes aside, the Yellow Crowned Amazon is a wonderful pet. They have a temperate, easy-going personality and a great mix of traits desirable in any pet parrot. Thanks to their good intelligence, they will prove to be equally fun, playful and affectionate. They can also get mischievous sometimes – but it’s all part of the fun. In general, these parrots are those you bond with, creating a deep friendship as you get to know their quirks and traits, and as you slowly fall in love with their goofy personality. Who knows, the Yellow Crowned Amazon might just be the perfect pet for you.

Photo credit: Jeronimo Contreras Flores/Shutterstock; Kostiantyn Ivanov/Shutterstock; Nicky Rhodes/Shutterstock